


The Commodore and the Swann

by Awesomerigby



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:34:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24696886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awesomerigby/pseuds/Awesomerigby
Summary: A collection of Norribeth fics based on prompt generators.
Relationships: James Norrington/Elizabeth Swann
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

James noticed Elizabeth slip out every day at the same time. It didn’t matter what she was doing. They could be taking a walk through Port Royal, and suddenly, she would tell him that she’d be right back. They could be having tea with her father, and she would stand up and leave the room, returning after a few minutes. 

After the fifth time she had done this, James decided to find out what she was actually doing. He didn’t ask her directly, though, and followed her once she left. He found her milling around with a group of the Governor’s maids, and they were holding pipes. Elizabeth was holding a pipe! James couldn’t believe it. He never thought of her as a smoker, but here she was, laughing with Estrella, her most trusted maid. Maybe he would return to the drawing room. When she came back, what then? Did he confront her? Smoking pipes was a rather nasty habit. 

Except… the sight of Elizabeth with the pipe in her hand was rather stimulating. And if she would spend time every day smoking, then maybe he would take it up. Spending time with her was one of the highlights of his day, and he hated those breaks where they were apart. Not to mention, if Elizabeth saw that he was trying to make an effort…she would be very impressed. 

So, when Elizabeth told James during their afternoon tea that she would be right back, he stood up. 

“I’ll go with you.” He half expected her to refuse. After all, she might have thought he would disapprove and scold her. But, she smiled and accepted his offer. He had to admit, it was nice that she felt she didn’t have to hide anything from him. 

He and Elizabeth went to the gardens where the maids were. 

“James decided to join us today,” Elizabeth said. 

“Commodore,” Estrella said with a curtsey. The others followed suit. 

“That won’t be necessary. I appreciate you allowing me to join you.” 

James watched them take out their pipes, and he did the same. He could feel Elizabeth’s eyes on him as he lit it and stuck it into his mouth. His heart pounded. 

“James, you smoke?” she asked. 

“Oh, of course…” The smoke caught in his throat. He tried to suppress the coughs rising up in his body, but his throat itched so badly. He started hacking loudly. 

“James!”

“I’m…” He coughed. “Fine!” But, he continued to cough. He bent over and put his hands on his knees as he hacked and hacked for what felt like hours. Finally, when he was all coughed out, he stood up and tried to make himself as dignified as possible. He looked to Elizabeth and realized she did not have a pipe. “Elizabeth, where is your pipe?” 

“Hmm? I don’t smoke.” 

He must have heard wrong. “No, I saw you with one the other day.” 

“Oh! I was holding it for Clara.” She pointed to the blonde haired maid who had a pipe in her hand. 

James looked from Clara to Elizabeth. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks. 

“James, did you start smoking the pipe because you thought I did?” Elizabeth laughed. 

“Uh… it was a honest…” He tried to say, but he started coughing again. Elizabeth patted his back, but she was still laughing. James was sure he would never live this down. 


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth had wanted to go for a walk. It was cold in Port Royal today, but something in her told her that today was a good day for a walk. And James was going to join her. She hoped. She hadn’t exactly asked him yet. 

Elizabeth found James in his office, going through some papers on his desk. He was so immersed, he didn’t notice her until she knocked on the door frame. 

James looked up. At the sight of her, he smiled, and Elizabeth’s heart beat a little faster. When his mind was on his papers, he had a frown--whether that was because he was focusing or because the task made him gloomy, Elizabeth didn’t know--but when he saw her, his eyes lit up. She couldn’t believe she had such an effect on him. She smiled back; he had a similar effect on her. 

“Elizabeth.” 

“Hello.” 

“What brings you here?” 

She stepped into his office, moving slowly. “Well, I thought I’d see if you wanted to go for a walk with me.” 

“A walk?” He looked out the window. The clouds were gray and only getting grayer. When he looked back to her, she knew a war was brewing in his mind. The weather was bleak, but he wanted to oblige her request. After several moments of James looking from the window, then back to Elizabeth, he let out a sigh. 

“Something wrong?” 

“No. I’d love to.” He rose from his seat. 

“Excellent.” 

James joined Elizabeth at the door, grabbing his coat from the rack hanging nearby. 

They left his office and began their walk through Port Royal. It was colder than Elizabeth thought. There was a breeze that chilled her every time it blew. She noticed James watching her from the corner of his eye. She hoped it was because he was admiring her, but she knew that with every gust of wind, he was checking if she was cold. Elizabeth smiled, doing her best not to show it. She knew, being the gentleman he was, James would offer his coat in a heartbeat. 

“Cold,” he commented. 

“Nice try,” she said. 

“What?” 

“You really want to pawn that coat on me.” 

She chuckled when he blushed. “Only if you need it.” 

“Well, I don’t.” 

It wasn’t long before the chill ran through Elizabeth again, then again. Each time, she kept a straight face, but James was catching on. She saw the smirk forming on his face. 

Finally, she sneezed. 

“Aha!” He laughed. “You’re cold.” 

Elizabeth sniffled. “Alright, you win, but you’re keeping that coat.” 

James rolled his eyes, but before she could protest, he shrugged off his coat and put it around her shoulders. 

At that moment, snow started to fall in the sky, landing on Elizabeth’s face. She couldn’t keep his coat when it was snowing! 

“James…” 

He kissed her forehead; the spot warmed immediately. He slipped his hand into hers. His skin was incredibly soft. 

“Just holding your hand makes me warmer already,” he said. 

Elizabeth blushed and turned her face away from his. “Quite the charmer, aren’t you?” 

“Well, I try.” 

Elizabeth tightened her grip on his hand and pressed as close to him as possible. And they continued their walk through the snow. As it fell onto their faces, clothes, and hair, Elizabeth didn’t feel cold at all. 


	3. Chapter 3

When James saw Elizabeth aboard  _ The Flying Dutchman _ , his breath hitched in his throat. It hadn’t been that long since he last saw her--on Isla Cruces, running off with the chest--but it felt like an eternity. He often thought about her. Though he had his life back, it wasn’t the same. He commanded just as he did before, but he could never shake that guilt. 

“James. James!” She shouted, running out of her captors arms and to him. 

James forgot his place for a moment. He forgot he was an admiral, expected to carry on with his duty. When she approached him, he pulled her into a hug. He held Elizabeth only once before, after Jack had shoved her into his arms and made his escape. 

“Thank goodness you’re alright.” He faced her, a smile forming on his lips. “Your father will be overjoyed.” 

“My father is dead,” Elizabeth replied. 

A flash of confusion struck James’s face. “No… he returned to England.” 

Elizabeth lifted her chin and pursed her lips. “Did Lord Beckett tell you that?” 

James didn’t speak. He couldn’t speak. The governor was dead? 

Davy Jones arrived on the scene before James could fully process the news. He asked who the captain was, and one of  _ The Empress’s  _ crewmates pointed out Elizabeth. Another shock to James, but not surprising. Elizabeth always had the making of a captain. 

“Tow the ship,” James said. “Put the prisoners in the brig. The captain shall have my quarters.” 

“Thank you, sir. But I prefer to stay with my crew,” Elizabeth said. He noticed a coldness in her voice. As she started to turn away, James grabbed her arm. She studied him; he had never seen such malice in her eyes. 

“Elizabeth, I did not know.” 

“Know what?” She shrugged out of his grip. “What side you chose? Well, now you do.” 

*** 

James was left in his quarters. He paced the area, his boots clopping on  _ The Dutchman _ . That look in Elizabeth’s gaze pierced his soul, but it wasn’t a surprise. He had done such horrible things, and for what? A title. Respect, which he obviously did not have, neither from Beckett nor Elizabeth. 

He deserved such hatred. 

And James made a choice. If Elizabeth hated him for the rest of his life, that was fine. But he still loved her, despite what he had done. He still loved her, and it was fine when she saw him as nothing more than a friend. He was fine if she saw him nothing more than a traitor. 

Elizabeth was surprised when he opened the brig, but while her crew shuffled out, she stayed put. It was too late to earn her forgiveness, he knew, but he needed to help her. She followed him anyway, but she never softened her gaze. 

Finally, he stopped and turned toward her. 

“Elizabeth, I know  that I hurt you. I know that nothing I can say will change the past. But…I’m hoping that you’ll forgive me in the end. I’m hoping that I can make this right. If you cannot, that is perfectly okay, because frankly I do not deserve it.” 

Her lips parted. Her eyes welled with tears. “Come with us… James, come with me.” 

He wanted nothing more, but when Bootstrap Bill appeared, he knew he had to stay behind. He had to protect her. He had to press his lips to hers, letting her know that he never stopped loving her. He had to make her leave. He had to die for her. He had to... give up on her. 


End file.
